As usual, the list of Emmy nominations announced on Thursday was teeming with surprises -- some pleasant and others not so much. Here's a cusory rundown of some of the choices that had us doing double-takes:

"Downton Abbey": The British period drama continues to get lots of Emmy recognition, even though it has had a creative decline. We love the Crawley crew, but this was the year it could have been bumped for more deserving drama contenders such as "Masters of Sex" or "The Americans."

"Silicon Valley": Count this among the most welcome of surprises. HBO's satire about computer nerds chasing their dreams in the high-tech mecca managed to break into the comedy field in its first season.

William H. Macy: After being repeatedly overlooked, the star of "Shameless" finally received some well-earned Emmy love.

Ricky Gervais: We'll always respect Gervais for giving us "The Office," but we were stunned to see his name among the men vying for the lead comedy actor trophy for his work on Netflix's "Derek."

Kate Mara: The "House of Cards" actress received a nomination for best guest actress in a drama series, even though her appearance was incredibly brief this season.

Kate McKinnon: Cheers to this selection. The "Saturday Night Live" standout received a nomination for best supporting actress in a comedy. She faces stiff competition, but at least she's in.